Two House Democrats Plan to Retire

In this Jan. 24, 2013 file photo, Rep. Carolyn McCarthy (D., N.Y.) speaks during a news conference with a coalition of members of Congress, mayors, law enforcement officers, gun safety organizations and other groups on Capitol Hill in Washington, to introduce legislation on assault weapons and high-capacity ammunition feeding devices. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta, File)

Associated Press

Two House Democrats – Reps. Mike McIntyre of North Carolina and Carolyn McCarthy of New York — announced they won’t run for re-election in November.

The retirements of Rep. McIntyre, 57 years old and in his ninth term, opens up a North Carolina seat that will be vulnerable to Republicans. Ms. McCarthy’s seat is expected to remain in the Democratic column.

In a statement Wednesday, Mr. McIntyre said that his partnership with North Carolinians has “transcended politics and allowed us to accomplish monumental tasks.” He added that he and his family are ready for a “new chapter and excited about new opportunities to continue helping North Carolina.”

Ms. McCarthy, 70, is also in her ninth term in Congress, and has been on a leave of absence since June while being treated for lung cancer. Ms. McCarthy, well-known as a gun-control advocate, ran for Congress after her husband was killed in a shooting on the Long Island Railroad 20 years ago.

In a written statement, Rep. McCarthy said she looked “forward to resuming my role as a citizen activist for the causes and principles that are so close to my heart.”

House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D., Calif.) said in a written statement that “Few have worked harder than Congresswoman McCarthy to reduce the tragedy of gun violence in America, and her unwavering dedication to sparing other families the grief that touched her own never ceases to inspire.”

Following Mr. McIntyre’s announcement, the Cook Political Report, which ranks how Democratic or Republican districts lean, moved the district, which is in the state’s southeast corner, to “leaning Republican” from “leaning Democrat.” The district’s Partisan Voting Index rating—which ranks how strongly a district leans toward a party compared to the rest of the nation—is a +12 for Republicans.

Mr. McIntyre was re-elected by a slim margin—700 votes—and Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney won the district handily in 2012, with 59% of the vote.

Ms. McCarthy’s district on Long Island is a Democratic stronghold. President Barack Obama won the district by 13 percentage points in the last election.

The news of the legislators’ retirements brings the number of retiring House members to 12, nine of whom are Republicans. Three House members have resigned—all Republicans—and 11 are planning to run for Senate in November, eight of whom are Republicans.

Here is the list of House members who have announced their plans to retire:

Rep. Spencer Bachus (R., Ala.)

Rep. Michele Bachmann (R., Minn.)

Rep. John Campbell (R., Calif.)

Rep. Howard Coble (R., N.C.)

Rep. Jim Gerlach (R., Pa.)

Rep. Tim Griffin (R., Ark.)

Rep. Tom Latham (R., Iowa)

Rep. Jim Matheson (D., Utah)

Rep. Carolyn McCarthy (D., N.Y.)

Rep. Mike McIntyre (D., N.C.)

Rep. Jon Runyan (R., N.J.)

Rep. Frank R. Wolf (R., Va.)

2014 Outlook: On Wednesday, National Politics Editor Aaron Zitner and political reporters Neil King Jr. and Patrick O’Connor laid out the 2014 political landscape and took viewers’ questions. Watch below, or click here.

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